(Newswire.net — November 12, 2018) — French actress Catherine Deneuve is auctioning off her personal collection of haute couture outfits, many of which include one-off pieces from Yves Saint Laurent (YSL).
Deneuve was YSL’s muse for many years. In 2002, during the 40th anniversary of his career, Saint Laurent told Deneuve that she was his “most beautiful love affair.”
A total of 300 lots will be up for auction next year. Half will be sold through an internet auction, while the other half will be sold through Christie’s.
“They are the creations of a man who was so talented and who only created to make women more beautiful,” said Deneuve. The actress, now 75 years of age, is selling the pieces because she no longer has room for the collection and is selling her property in Normandy, where the clothes are kept.
Along with Yves Saint Laurent bags and other accessories, the collection includes suits, coats and dresses. Among the pieces up for grabs includes a mini dress with pearl fringe from the 1969 spring/summer collection. Deneuve wore the dress when meeting Alfred Hitchcock.
The lots will be exhibited January 19-24 at Christie’s in Paris, France.
Deneuve was 22 and married to photographer David Bailey when she first met Saint Laurent. She was scheduled to meet the Queen and asked the designer to create an evening dress for the event. She then proposed that he designs her costumes for the film Belle de Jour, in which she plays a bored housewife who spends her afternoons as a prostitute.
Saint Laurent would go on to dress Deneuve for the next 40 years until his death in 2008.
Deneuve recently made headlines for her response to the #MeToo movement, in which she wrote in favor of men’s freedom to “hit on women.”
News of the auction comes as YSL announced that it will launch a line of penis-themed jewelry, including necklaces and earrings. The pieces, made in Italy, are made from patinated golden brass with a “Saint Laurent Paris” engraving on the back.
The necklaces and earrings appear to be sold out on the brand’s website, as both are labeled as “not available.” Social media responses to the controversial collection were mixed.
Saint Laurent is considered to be among the foremost fashion designers of the 20th century. The current creative director of YSL is Anthony Vaccarello, an Italian-Belgian designer. Prior to YSL, Vaccarello was creative director at Versus Versace.